Book 2 The Light: by the flickering light

by Penelope Anne Ink

Chapter Ten

The time of the party came near and they woke up Edgy before trotting back to Granny Angel’s house. It was lit up with all sorts of festive candles and lanterns and they could hear gentle music coming toward them from her backyard.

The stout pony hesitated for a second in front of the other two as they came up to the door. He wanted to knock on it himself and face her. Starry still didn’t know what exactly was going on, but she could tell he and Granny must have had some sort of argument for him to be this nervous.

With a light tap, he struck up the courage to knock on the door, and then knocked once more a little more confidently.

Granny Angel must have been nearby, because she opened the door almost right away after the second knock. The two finally stood face to face at the doorway and looked straight into each other’s eyes. But no sooner had they recognized each other than they both reached out to give each other a hug and had a good cry.

They begin shuffling back into the house and Granny Angel motioned for Edgy and Starry to come in as well and they did.

The house was decorated in its usual doilies but there was an atmosphere of celebration the further in they went. The kitchen was still stocked up to the brim with pastries and it looked like Granny Angel was still making more. The rest of the house used just lamplight, which was bright enough for the old ponies but had a more welcome dimness to the glaring overhead lights. The back porch door was open to a yard with a freshly swept path and a fountain gurgling merrily.

Edgy and Starry couldn’t believe how nice the backyard looked as they turned to see some tables set up with fancy tea sets and Starry felt her heart leap as she saw her creation at a prominent spot on a table by itself. Granny Angel noticed their gazes and explained, “I had a few of my young ones come by while you two were out.” As if on cue, Cass and Bee swung out of one of the trees with a flourish.

Starry reached out to give them both a hug before the four settled in at one of the tables. Granny Angel and the stout pony were still talking indoors, too far for them to hear, but it seemed like they were getting along. It didn’t take long before a few other old ponies showed up.

Starry didn’t recognize any, but she and the other three did their best to help them to their seats and make sure they were all settled in and comfortable.

Some younger ponies swung by, all children that Granny Angel had taught years before and who lived close enough to join in on an unexpected gathering.

A few chats started buzzing around as everybody who remembered each other began to catch up and others decided to join in based on some common topic, Granny Angel being an obvious common one but sometimes the talk turned to current events.

“Did you hear? They say Tempest Shadow was seen heading to Ponyville. Somepony told me she probably wants to meet with Twilight Sparkle.”

Starry had been going back over her creation at the time, making sure that nothing had fallen out of place and that the mechanism on the inside was still functioning, so she didn’t notice as Edgy’s ears perked up at the mention of Tempest.

He hadn’t realized she was still around, and if she were to find him here...

He looked up at Starry as she peered over her work. He still didn’t want to risk her finding out about his powers. And even with both he and Tempest “reformed,” their last encounter was extremely unpleasant. It wasn’t a meeting he was looking forward to, although he felt he could probably take her on if she decided to fight.

Still, looking around at the fun going on around him, maybe he could worry about it another day.

Everypony cheered as Granny Angel and the stout pony came out carrying platters of food. There was more than just pastry, and to Edgy’s surprise, they had even made a few bowls of spaghetti.

He wanted to launch himself at it right away but was able to stop himself until he saw the stout pony nod in his direction.

The spaghetti bowl was unable to defend itself.

Starry didn’t eat too much. She took one look at some pies at the end of their table and decided she wasn’t very hungry. Plus, she was still a bit nervous about her creation two tables over. Some of the ponies had gotten rowdy, all thanks to Cass and Bee, and were messing around near it. Starry felt like her soul was going to leave her body just worrying about them possibly jostling it or tipping the table.

But it survived. And by the end of the evening, as a few of the ponies lit up some of the torches set up around the yard, Starry was ready to show off her creation.

It wasn’t a lot of ponies. It was just a project of one morning. But Starry trotted up to the back of the table and took a deep breath before flipping the switch.

Everypony couldn’t help but say how cute it was as they watched the metal pony start rolling and a few ponies gasped as it leapt into the air. It isn’t as majestic as a firework show in Canterlot, but, and then she had a thought. Before she could talk herself out of it she sent out a few fireworks into the air high above Granny Angel’s house and Ponyville itself.

Ponies halfway across town could see the lights. From his bedroom window, Postage Stamp could see the fireworks and his eyes lit up. Starry’s herself again, he thought, before he curled back up to sleep.

And while it was a bit loud from where they were at, everypony in the backyard was pleased with the unexpected extra treat.

And while Starry was pleased with seeing their admiration, she could only focus on the table with her friends.